


One Special Yule

by Aglarien



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 05:39:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12905256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aglarien/pseuds/Aglarien
Summary: A newly returned Glorfindel's first Yule in Imladris, how he got Asfaloth and how he found Erestor.  A bit of a surprise ending.





	One Special Yule

Posted: January 6, 2006  
Title: One Special Yule  
Author: Aglarien  
Type: FCS  
Characters: Erestor/Glorfindel  
Rating: NC-17  
Disclaimer: Alas, not mine. Master Tolkien owns it all. I promise to return his elves when I'm done playing with them.  
Warnings: AU  
Beta: Erviniae  
Author's Notes: Written for the Slashy Santa Swap, for Zhie.

Another very old fluffy story.

Erestor put his quill down and flexed his shoulders to loosen his stiff muscles. "I am done for the day, Elrond. Time for me to go and find Glorfindel."

The elven Lord put down his own quill, and then rose and stretched. "I am done as well. I am sure my family is waiting for me." He smiled thinking of his beloved wife and their two little sons. "You really should tell him, Erestor. He deserves to know." Elrond placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Why do you not tell him?"

"You know why, Elrond. I do not want it to cloud our relationship. I will tell him when the time is right. Just remember that you promised me you would say nothing of it to him." Erestor looked at his old and slightly younger friend sternly. 

Elrond nodded. "I will keep my promise, Erestor. You know that. Go and find him now." 

Erestor nodded and left the office. 

As Elrond straightened his desk, he remembered the day three months ago when the newly reborn Glorfindel had arrived. Elrond had wondered why Erestor had not told the golden lord who he was, and questioned him privately afterward. He could remember Erestor's words perfectly. 'Because my heart sang when I first beheld him, Elrond, and I do not want my past to influence him. I want to win his love just by being plain, old, chief councilor Erestor.' He hoped Erestor would not wait too long to tell Glorfindel what only he and his chief councilor knew.

Erestor went to the corner of the Library where each night before dinner he and Glorfindel would start a game of chess. After dinner, they played until one or the other of them had won. In the beginning, Erestor had been the most skilled player, but Glorfindel's talent for the game was rapidly increasing. He set the game on the table and arranged all the pieces, then waited for Glorfindel. When nearly an hour had passed and Glorfindel did not arrive, Erestor began to be concerned and decided he had better go and look for his friend. 

With Elrond busy with the affairs of Imladris and his young family, Erestor had gladly assumed the role of adviser and friend to the newly returned Glorfindel. Although Glorfindel had easily taken on the command of Imladris' defenses and captained her warriors, there was much he had to adjust to that had changed since Gondolin. Erestor became his confidant, his sparing partner, and his guide within Glorfindel's new world. He also became his closest friend.

After checking at the barracks and with several other elves in the house, Erestor stopped and simply stood where he was. Carefully emptying his mind of everything else, he focused on Glorfindel, and walked outside into the cold and snowy evening. Letting his inner senses guide him, he entered the surrounding forest, slowly walking towards his friend.

Glorfindel sat beneath a large and old pine tree. He had been sitting so long that his clothing and golden hair were covered with a light dusting of snow. Not that he had even noticed. He sat with his back against the tree trunk and his knees drawn up to his chest, supporting his folded arms and making a pillow for his head. There he sat....and wept.

Erestor stopped abruptly when Glorfindel came into view. He could see the warrior's body shake with his muffled sobs, and his heart cried with him. Slowly and quietly he walked up to Glorfindel and dropped to his knees. Gently taking Glorfindel into his arms, he whispered, "What is it, Glorfindel? Why are you out here alone with your sorrow? Please tell me my friend, for it hurts my heart to see you like this."

Glorfindel raised his head at the sound of Erestor's voice. He had sensed that someone was approaching and knew it would be Erestor. He put his arms around his friend and pulled the warm elf closer. "You came," he whispered.

"Of course I came, dear friend. Tell me what is wrong?"

"I miss them, Erestor. It is almost Yule...my first. And I miss them so much. I can see them all. All the members of my house, all the little elflings, dear Idril and sweet little Eärendil, my dear friend Ecthelion and his beautiful mate. She was expecting their first child the last Yule we spent together. He was born on the day Gondolin fell. I failed them, Erestor. I failed them all. It is almost Yule, and they are all gone." Glorfindel shivered.

Erestor held the cold elf closer, trying to warm him. Elves did not normally feel the freezing temperature, but even elves could grow cold when they were in grief. "You did not fail them, my friend...my dear friend. You saved so many. You died for them. Your bravery allowed so many to escape. You did not fail them, Glorfindel."

Glorfindel said nothing, but held onto Erestor, letting the warmth and comfort of his friend seep into him.

"Will you come with me back to the house now, Glorfindel? Stay with me this night, and we shall talk. I would like to know what Yule was like in Gondolin, and there is no one else to tell me."

"I do not want to go to dinner in the hall with everyone, Erestor. Not tonight."

"Then we will not. Come, my friend. Let me take you somewhere warm and we will have our dinner together, just the two of us."

Glorfindel nodded and they rose and returned to the house, to Erestor's rooms. 

A fire burned brightly in the hearth, warming the rooms with a rosy glow. Glorfindel stood before the fire and spread his hands out, trying to get warm.

"You need to get out of those wet and frozen clothes and get warm, Glorfindel," Erestor said, handing his friend a blanket. "Get them off and I will find something for you to wear." Leaving Glorfindel before the fire, he went to his bedroom and rummaged in his wardrobe. Both he and Glorfindel were tall, but he was much thinner than warrior. His tunics, leggings, and normal robes would be too small for Glorfindel. He finally located a thick robe that he sometimes used for lounging around in his room when it was cold. It was very large and he usually swam in it; it would be perfect for Glorfindel. 

Erestor returned to the sitting room to find Glorfindel still standing in front of the fire, still shivering, with a blanket wrapped around him and his wet clothing on the floor. He held the robe open in front of the fire for a few moments to warm it and take the chill off of it, and then dropped it over Glorfindel's head so he could release the blanket and put his arms into the robe. It fit perfectly.

"Thank you," Glorfindel smiled. "It's warm." He sat on the thick fur rugs in front of the fire, pulling a big floor pillow over to lean against, and covering himself with the blanket. 

"Rest and warm yourself, Glorfindel. I will just find someone to get our dinner and be right back." Erestor smiled at his friend and left.

Glorfindel stretched out before the fire and sighed. Erestor was his rock. He couldn't imagine what adjusting to life in Imladris would have been like if Erestor hadn't been there from the first day. But he also knew he was more than half in love with the elegant, dark elf. Erestor was everything he had ever wanted in a mate, starting with being his best friend. In many ways his dear friend reminded him of Ecthelion - the same strong, lithe body; the same powerful intellect; and the same kind spirit. Their coloring was even the same. But he wanted something from Erestor he had never wanted from Ecthelion. He wanted to live in Erestor's heart. 

Erestor returned carrying a tray with bowls of rich, steaming stew and fresh, warm bread. "This will warm you up," he said, placing the tray on the floor next to Glorfindel. Sitting down on the floor next to his friend, he handed Glorfindel his bowl, and the two elves ate in companionable silence. 

When they had finished, Erestor put the tray aside and poured them glasses of wine. "Glorfindel, would it bother you to speak of Gondolin? I would dearly love to know what it was like there during Yuletide."

"No, it will not bother me to tell you, Erestor. You can ask me anything, you know. What I may not like to discuss with others, I will always share with you." It was true, Glorfindel thought. He really could tell Erestor anything. "Yule was always my favorite time of the year. It was so cold in the winter there, and there was always so much snow, but with the warmth of our friends we never felt it. We decorated trees - pine trees - that we cut and brought into our houses. The young elves and elflings would cut the most beautiful shapes from parchment - like snowflakes - and we would hang them on the tree. And we made little candles and would wrap them around the branches when the wax was still soft so when they set we could light them. The whole city would be adorned with pine boughs and holly branches, tied with red ribbon to match the holly berries. And on the eve of Yule we would gather around the tree and sing songs and give presents to all the elflings. We would drink spicy mulled wine and eat sugared cookies and the richest cakes. I always loved Yule Eve the best. And the next day we would dance and sing - and eat until I always thought I would burst. Oh, the feasting was wonderful." Glorfindel chuckled, and then suddenly sobered. "I miss them, Erestor. I miss them so much."

Erestor drew Glorfindel into his arms and held him. "Let me tell you about Yule in Imladris. We too have pine boughs and holly branches, and decorate the house and the city with them. And on Yule Eve we gather together for dinner in the great hall, and then each family returns to their home or rooms and spends the evening together among those they love. On Yule Day, everyone gathers together in the house, and after breakfast we give all of the elflings gifts. We exchange gifts among our friends too. Then we sing and dance and eat until we almost burst." Erestor laughed softly. "Gondolin was not alone in that. I warrant you will like the feasting here just as well, my friend."

"And whom do you spend Yule Eve with, Erestor?" Glorfindel asked quietly.

"Before Elrond married, he and I would spend it together. He and Celebrian have always asked me to join them, but I did not wish to intrude on their time together, so I have simply spent it alone in my rooms with a good book for company. This Yule I hoped that I could be with a special friend. Will you spend Yule Eve with me this year, Glorfindel?"

Glorfindel smiled. "I would like that very much, Erestor. Very much." He lay back against the pillows, pulling Erestor with him. "I know Yule Eve will be the most difficult for me. I...thank you for helping me through it, Erestor. Sometimes, like tonight when I am remembering all of my old friends, I cannot imagine what it would be like here without you. You comfort me like no one else would ever be able to, my dear friend. Would you mind very much if I stayed here with you tonight? I...I just do not want to be alone." 

"Of course I won't mind, Glorfindel. You are always welcome here."

~~~*~~~  
Glorfindel had carefully dressed for Imladris' Yule Eve dinner in his finest robes embroidered with golden flowers, and wore his golden circlet, the symbol of his house in Gondolin. Imladris wasn't Gondolin, but his new home's Yule celebrations were joyous in their own way. His old friends were not here, but Erestor was. They sat side-by-side at Elrond's table, and every once in a while during dinner, Erestor took his hand under the table and squeezed it in silent support. 

When Elrond finally rose, bid all a good night, and left with his family, Erestor said, "Come to the stables with me first, Glorfindel. I have something to show you." It was time for him to show Glorfindel just how much he was loved.

"All right, Erestor. But what could you possibly have in the stables?"

"You will see, my friend," Erestor smiled. "You will see."

They hurried out across the snow-covered courtyard and into the warm stable. "How is she, Orodon?" Erestor asked one of the stable hands. 

"She is just fine, Master Erestor. She will be pleased to see you."

Erestor smiled, and after picking up an apple from a nearby basket and putting it in a pocket, led Glorfindel to his horse's stall and leaned over the low gate. A beautiful tawny mare snorted in greeting and pressed her nose against Erestor's chest. "Did you miss me, sweetheart? I brought someone to meet you. This is Glorfindel. Glorfindel, this is Sulien." 

The horse snuffed at Glorfindel, and when he greeted her and rubbed her nose, she decided she liked him. Her master had something in his pocket, though, and she knew it. Turning back to Erestor, she nosed his robes until he laughed and took the apple out and gave it to her. 

"She is beautiful, Erestor. Is she yours?" Glorfindel asked.

"Yes," Erestor nodded. "And I am very fond of her, although I do not have a chance to ride her as much as I would like. She just foaled a few days ago. Sulien, will you let Glorfindel come in with me and see your new little one?" Sulien stomped the ground with one hoof and nodded her head. "Come, Glorfindel," Erestor said, opening the gate and stepping inside the large stall. 

When they entered the stall, Glorfindel saw the foal, just rising from its bed of straw. "Oh, Erestor, it is white! What a beauty!" The pure white foal was perfect, and would grow into a magnificent stallion.

"Asfaloth, my little friend," Erestor said, rubbing the foal's nose, "Glorfindel says you are a beauty. What do you say to that, little one?"

Asfaloth snorted and pranced around the stall, to the elves' laughter. "I think he agrees with me, Erestor," Glorfindel chuckled. The foal stopped its prancing and rubbed its nose against Glorfindel's chest. "I think he likes me."

"I certainly hope so, Glorfindel. He is yours. Happy Yule, my friend."

Glorfindel's jaw dropped and he stared at Erestor in amazement. "Mine? You are giving me your mare's foal?"

Erestor smiled and nodded. "The captain of our guards requires a horse worthy of the position, and Asfaloth will grow into a stallion worthy of you, Glorfindel. He is yours."

"I...I don't know what to say, Erestor. I...I ...No one has ever given me such a gift." Glorfindel pulled Erestor into his arms and hugged him - almost kissed him full on the mouth - but settled for a chaste kiss on the brow. "Thank you. Thank you, Erestor. He is wonderful."

Erestor smiled, wrapping his arms around Glorfindel and wishing that the golden lord would kiss him. "You are welcome, my friend."

They stayed with the horses for a few minutes more, and then returned to the house. Glorfindel talked almost non-stop about Asfaloth, and when they reached the door to Erestor's rooms, the warrior said, "I just don't know how I can ever thank you, Erestor."

"Well, there is one thing you could do, my friend," Erestor said softly. Turning and facing Glorfindel, he looked into bright blue eyes and slowly moved forward until his lips were a mere fraction of an inch away. "You can kiss me," he whispered as he pressed his lips against Glorfindel's. 

Taken by surprise, Glorfindel was just about to wrap his arms around Erestor and deepen the kiss when the dark elf pulled away, opened the door and yanked him inside. "Erestor, I....oh....oh."  
Glorfindel took in the scene before him and his eyes filled with tears. "You did this for me? Oh, Erestor!" A tall pine tree decorated with paper snowflakes and tiny -lit candles stood in a corner of the room and boughs of evergreen and holly decorated the mantels and doorways. On a table sat a carafe of mulled wine and a plate of sugar cookies and rich cakes. "Oh, Erestor. But why would you go through all this trouble for me when you have done so much for me already?"

"Because you make my heart sing, Glorfindel. Because I love you," Erestor whispered. Because I have loved you since the moment I first saw you." It was said. Erestor held his breath waiting for Glorfindel's response.

Glorfindel gazed at Erestor in wonder, and then there was no distance between them as he swept his beautiful friend into his arms and kissed him with all the passion in his heart. 

Erestor moaned softly as Glorfindel's mouth descended on his own. A warm tongue was dancing against his own, exploring every inch, and his legs turned to porridge. Sinking to the floor, he pulled Glorfindel down with him until they lay on the floor, their arms desperately grabbing at each other as they sought to be even closer. When they finally tore their mouths apart to breathe, both elves were panting and Erestor could feel Glorfindel's heart pounding against his chest, matching his own.

Glorfindel rained kisses across Erestor's face, as tears of joy filled his eyes. "Erestor...my Erestor...I love you...I love you," he whispered. I have wanted to tell you since the day I arrived and first saw you, but I was so afraid...so afraid I would lose you...lose your friendship." 

"Make love to me, Glorfindel. Make me yours. I want you so much I can barely stand it," Erestor said, his voice soft and seductive. He carefully removed Glorfindel's circlet and placed it aside. Pulling the golden elf down on top of him and crushing their mouths together, his tongue thrust hotly in the welcoming sweetness that was Glorfindel. His nimble fingers worked to unclasp Glorfindel's robes.

Glorfindel pulled his mouth from Erestor's and fought to catch his breath. Pulling Erestor up to sit with him, he said, "Erestor, beloved, do you truly wish this? You would bind yourself to me forever?"

Erestor looked into Glorfindel's eyes and saw the love the golden lord held for him shining through. "I would bind myself to you forever, Glorfindel. My heart sings for you, my love, and there will be no other. I love you."

Glorfindel reached for Erestor's hands and twined their fingers together. "Erestor, I take you as my husband for all time," Glorfindel whispered, tears of happiness overflowing his eyes. "My dearest friend, my dearest companion, and my dearest love, I will love you forever and there will be no other. I have thanked the Valar daily for your friendship, and now I will thank them daily for your love. You are more beautiful to me than I can express. May Eru bless our binding. I love you so much, Erestor." He kissed Erestor's lips softly to seal his vows, and then kissed his tears away. "You are crying, beloved."

"So are you, my heart," Erestor whispered. "Glorfindel, my dearest love, I take you for my husband for all time. I have waited my whole life for you. I give my heart and my soul to you, for only you can complete me. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I will be beside you. I will be the companion of your life, and with you I will walk my path. May Eru bless our binding. I love you, Glorfindel. I love you....I love you." He kissed Glorfindel's lips softly to seal his vows. "Make love to me, my beautiful husband," Erestor purred. "Can you not feel my soul straining to join with yours?"

Glorfindel pulled Erestor onto his lap and kissed him deeply before moving his mouth to nibble on his neck. His hands slowly roamed over the lithe, firm body, making Erestor moan and pull Glorfindel closer. 

"Please, beloved. Make me wait no longer, unless you wish for another balrog. I can arrange that, you know."

Glorfindel chuckled softly, then laughed out load in pure joy. "Where did that come from, my love? This does not sound like the prim and proper chief councilor of Imladris."

"I am not the chief councilor of Imladris at the moment. I am your husband who has spent the past three months wanting you so badly I could not sleep half of the time, and I will not even mention the reactions of my traitorous body that I have had to hide from you and everyone else." Grabbing one of Glorfindel's hands, he placed it on his groin to show his new mate just what he was doing to him. "Do you want this or the balrog, my love?" 

Glorfindel gasped as he felt the heat of Erestor's hard shaft even through his robes, and his own twitched in response. With one fluid motion, he pushed Erestor from his lap onto the floor, and then pulled him up to stand beside him. "Robes....off....now," he said huskily, "before I tear them off."

Erestor smirked and swiftly began to unclasp his robes.

It was two panting elves who rapidly stripped off their clothing until they stood naked before each other.

"Oh, Valar, Erestor, you are so beautiful," Glorfindel whispered in awe of the perfection before him. His eyes drank in the lightly muscled body, with its narrow hips and shapely legs, then focused on the perfect penis standing erect against a perfectly flat abdomen. "So, beautiful."

"Sweet Elbereth, Glorfindel. Why did I never notice you were so big?" His eyes took in the heavily muscled body. One of Glorfindel's thighs was as muscled and big as Erestor was around, and one of his shapely legs with bulging calf muscles would make two of Erestor's. His eyes grew round as they focused on his groin. "Dear Manwe, Glorfindel," Erestor whispered, as he reached out to lightly stroke his husband's thick, erect shaft with his fingertips, "Oh my, but you are beautiful." He shivered with desire.

Glorfindel pulled Erestor into his arms with a growl and fastened his broad hands around his mate's shapely bottom, crushing their groins and mouths together.

Erestor literally melted as his shaft slid along Glorfindel's and a hot tongue attacked his mouth. Lightening flashed through his body, and only Glorfindel's strong arms were holding him upright. Glorfindel's mouth moved to his husband's neck, and Erestor moaned and his head fell back as his fingers twisted into the golden mane.

"Oil," Glorfindel said hoarsely. "Where?"

"Tree....under...floor," Erestor managed to pant out.

Pulling Erestor down to the floor with him, Glorfindel stretched his arm under the tree and felt around until his fingers encountered a small phial. As he popped the cork with his thumb, he looked at Erestor, his long dark hair spread over the tan rugs. The dark elf was panting, his red, kiss-swollen lips parted slightly. It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen, and he realized if he didn't get control of himself he would hurt his precious mate. And that he would not do. He set the phial down on the floor and stretched out over Erestor, capturing his mouth once again. But instead of a wild, desperate kiss as their last ones had been, this one was soft and slow. His tongue gently wrapped around its mate, as Glorfindel's hands softly roamed and explored Erestor's body. He broke the kiss slowly, and his tongue lapped its way down Erestor's neck and chest to softly dance over a peaked nipple, then its mate. 

"Please.... Glorfindel.... please..." Erestor arched his back and writhed at the sensation.

"Soon, my precious one," Glorfindel said. Moving his head up to softly kiss Erestor again, he whispered against his lips, "I love you, Erestor." As badly as he wanted to simply thrust into Erestor and take him, he wanted his husband's first time to be special. His mouth wandered across Erestor's body finding all the spots that drove him wild.

When Glorfindel's magical tongue lapped at the tip of his now leaking shaft, Erestor whimpered with need. "Please....please...want you...please."

"Soon, my beloved." Glorfindel reached for the oil and poured it over his fingers. "Relax for me, my love," he whispered, his fingers gently massaging the muscles around Erestor's entrance. As he took the tip of Erestor's weeping length into his mouth, he gently pushed one finger inside, moaning at the feel of the heat and quivering muscles. Slowly and gently he prepared his husband. Glorfindel took Erestor's member into his mouth to the hilt, as a second finger joined the first, stretching and scissoring. He searched for Erestor's hidden spot and knew he found it when Erestor cried out. A third finger joined the others as his tongue wrapped around the hard cock in his mouth and teased the slit. 

"Now! Take me now!" Erestor screamed, pushing down on Glorfindel's fingers.

He released Erestor's cock from his mouth with a plop. "Just a little more, my sweet one. It is almost time. Wait for me, my love." Glorfindel thrust his fingers deeply in and out, making sure Erestor would have as little pain as possible.

"Take me...Take me...now...take me...please...please...now!" Erestor wailed, tears streaming down his face. 

"Yes, my precious husband, now," Glorfindel said as he gently withdrew his fingers. Quickly covering his aching shaft with oil, he lifted Erestor's legs onto his shoulders, aligned himself, and pushed. So well had he prepared his mate that he slid in to the hilt. "Oh...Erestor...Oh Erestor...Erestor," Glorfindel whispered. "I love you...I love you...Oh, Erestor. Are you all right, beloved?"

Erestor's eyes had closed as Glorfindel slowly took him. He opened them and looked up at Glorfindel through his tears and smiled. "I am yours now, my husband. My heart...my heart sings. I love you so much, Glorfindel." He pulled his legs down and wrapped them around Glorfindel's waist. "Love me, my Glorfindel," he whispered, thrusting his hips up. 

Glorfindel pulled nearly all the way out, and then slowly pushed back in, knowing he had hit Erestor's hidden bundle of nerves when he cried out in bliss. Erestor's hands gripped his biceps as he slowly made love to his husband. Erestor's soft cries and moans filled the air, joining his own, as their hearts joined and sang together. Two souls danced to the music of their hearts and joined in a blinding flash of light. Pushing his arms under Erestor's shoulders, he lifted his mate to his chest and held him close, whispering, "I take you as my husband for all time. I will love you forever and there will be no other."

Tears ran from Erestor's eyes as his arms wrapped tightly around Glorfindel's shoulders and he whispered in reply, "I give my heart and my soul to you, for only you can complete me. Whatever you do, wherever you go, I will be beside you. I will be the companion of your life, and with you I will walk my path. I love you...I love you."

The golden cord of their bond sparkled around them as Glorfindel's thrusts grew harder and faster, becoming erratic as he was filled with Erestor's soul. The golden elf reached between them and grasped Erestor's shaft. With only one stroke, Erestor came again and again, his essence covering Glorfindel's hand and splashing between them as he cried out his husband's name. An instant later, Glorfindel erupted deep within Erestor, his cry joining his husband's. 

The two lay entwined, clinging to each other, for long minutes. As breathing slowly returned to normal, Glorfindel pulled his robes over to cover them. Holding his beloved close, he kissed the dark head as they drifted off into reverie. 

Erestor awoke to kisses from the sweetest lips in all of Arda. Warm and secure in Glorfindel's arms, he sighed happily, and then realized they were in his bed. His wonderful husband must have carried him there during the night. A smile formed on his lips. "Good morning, my love," he purred.

"Happy Yule, my sweet one," Glorfindel said softly before kissing his beautiful husband again.  
"I forgot to give you your gift last night. I suppose I could be excused as there was this insistent elf who wanted to bond with me." He grinned.

Erestor chuckled. "You have a gift for me? But I already got my gift." He snuggled closer to Glorfindel. "You."

"Well I suppose I could find some other elf to give it to."

"Don't you dare." Erestor opened an eye and smiled. "What is it?"

Glorfindel sat up and pulled Erestor half onto his lap. He reached over to the bedside table for a small box, wrapped with a red ribbon, and handed it to Erestor. "Open it, love."

Erestor untied the ribbon and opened the box. Inside was a silver and diamond brooch, formed in the shape of falling water. He gently ran his finger over the design. "Oh, it is beautiful, my love."

"It is the emblem of the house of he who was my best friend in Gondolin. In so many ways you have reminded me of him."

Erestor looked up at Glorfindel, his eyes filling with tears. "Tell me about Ecthelion, Glorfindel. Please, love?"

"He was the best friend I ever had, Erestor. We grew up together, and I loved him as a brother. He was the bravest elf I ever knew, and his heart was as pure as those diamonds. I miss him still. He married, and his mate was as beautiful as he was, and her heart as good. The day that....That day, she had borne him a son. Before the battle...before...he asked me...if anything happened to him, to see his wife and son safe." Glorfindel's eyes had filled with tears and he released a sob and held Erestor tightly. "I failed him, Erestor. His beautiful wife....his son....they had not even given his son his name yet....and I failed them. Not just my best friend, but his wife and son. And I never even knew his name." 

"You did not fail them, my love." Erestor's arms surrounded his mate and his tear-filled eyes looked into Glorfindel's. "His wife and son were in the group of elves you saved, along with Idril and Eärendil. You saved them, my love. You saved them," he whispered.

"How....how do you know this, Erestor?"

"Because the name Ecthelion's wife gave to their son was Erestor. You saved me, my dearest love. You saved me."

*****  
THE END


End file.
